Analog or over-the-air FM radio stations utilize the Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) band (87.5 to 108.0 MHz) to broadcast multiple radio channels that are 200 KHz apart. Analog FM radio stations use, for example, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) to share the UHF band such that the stereo broadcast for each channel occupies 53 KHz of 75 KHz available on each side of the channel center frequency. The frequency region between 53 KHz and 75 KHz is set aside for sideband applications, such as RDS information or virtually identical RBDS information. For example, RDS may use the 55 KHz to 59 KHz region. RDS uses Phase Shift Keying (PSK) at a physical-layer data rate of 1187.5 bps. RDS may use error detection and correction, which reduces the effective date rate.
Existing mobile communication devices include hardware that receives analog radio waves along with RDS information provided alongside each broadcast channel. The RDS information includes metadata associated with the radio program, such as station and program name. RDS data fields may include a 16 bit Program ID (PI) that is uniquely assigned to each radio station; an 8 character Program Service (PS); a 64 character Radio Text (RT); a 5 bit Program Type (PTY); and a custom data field. Alternatively, existing mobile communication devices with a subscription based data plan may receive digital radio transmissions through Internet radio. What is needed is an application for a mobile communication device that records a radio broadcast received in an analog format at a mobile communication device and extracts radio data system information corresponding to the radio broadcast to provide a name for the recording.